Fruit strainer



Feb, 7, 1195@ J. B. ORRELL g@ Filed Jan. 5, 1946 5 Sheets-Shree?. 2

FRUIT STRAINER Em/612 for; Jseph. WQQH,

J. B. ORRELL FRUIT STRAINER Feb '79 N5@ 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 5, 1946 n/enfasi @5e/Uh rreli,

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Patented Feb. 7, 1950 FRUIT STRAINER Joseph B. Orrell, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignor to Abbotts Dairies, Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application January 5, 1946, Serial No. 639,248

6 Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved and more sanitary method of preparing frozen or cold packed berries and fruits for use in ice cream, sberbets and ices, together with apparatus for carrying out said method commercially.

In order to illustrate the need for and use of the improved device, reference is made to the preparation of strawberries for use as an ingredient in ice cream of that well known avor. Fruit and berries are usually packed with a sugar content of 3 to 1, or 4 to l, and then frozen so they can be used in iiavoring ice cream during the time of year when fresh berries or fruits are too expensive or are not available. They cannot be used in the manufacture of ice cream until the sugar content has been increased to 2 to 1; otherwise, the strawberries, after being frozen in the ice cream, would be toc hard to eat. In fact, it would be like biting upon a stone or pebble. The 3 to 1, or 4 to 1, berries are placed in a suitable container, at which time additional sugar is added and stirred through the juice and berries by a stainless steel agitator, which is in the tank until the sugar is entirely dissolved. After the sugar is completely dissolved, said tank is connected to the strainer and the berries are separated from the juice, the juice then being added to the ice cream mix, while the berries are injected into the ice cream after it has passed through the ice cream freezer, prior to its being filled into cans and placed in the usual hardening room. The purpose of adding the berries after their going through the freezer is to have recognizably large pieces of strawberries showing in the finished product.

Another object, therefore, is to provide an improved strainer, that can be operated at highest eiciency, that can be washed and sterilized with utmost ease, and that in general offers a much improved structure over those heretofore available.

With the objects thus briefly referred to, the invention comprises details of construction and operation, which are hereinafter fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of a device comprising one embodiment of the invention, as seen from one side; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the outer cylindrical casing and the internal cylindrical strainer element; shown partly in elevation and partly in section; Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevation of the same with the driving motor superimposed above it in schematic arrangement; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View of a, fragmentary portion of the discharge end of the device; Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the opposite end of said device; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectioned view, showing the rotatable mounting of the lower end of the strainer element.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of the invention comprises an outer tubular cylinder I, normally arranged for operation in an inclined position (Figs. l and 3) and having its lower end clos-ed by a plate 2 through which extends one end of an intake elbow 3, which is designed for connection to the outlet 4 of a fruit mixingy tank 5, said tank outlet being controlled by a slide valve 6, operated by a lever I and link connection 8. An additional valve 9 is preferably interposed between the tank outlet 4 and the intake elbow 3.

The lower end of said cylinder I is also provided with a laterally positioned drain or discharge port I6, that is connected through a pipe I I, to a Suitable pump IZ and pipe I3 that discharges into the upper portion of a collecting tank I4, which in the present instance is used to receive and store juices from the fruit processed by the strainer mechanism as a whole. Said mixing tank, pump and juice-receiving tank do not enter into the invention, except as a part of a unied system, such as fits admirably into the manufacture of fruitflavored ice cream, and are therefore shown diagrammatically.

The upper end of said outer cylinder I is closed by a removable plate I 5, that is provided upon its inner surface with a plurality of circumferentially spaced tapering studs I6, having inwardly converging surfaces that serve as centralizing supports for the upper end of an inner cylindrical strainer element I'I, that throughout approximately two-thirds or three-quarters of its circumference is provided with circumferentially spaced rows of perforations I8, which are preferably elongated longitudinally of said element, but which may be circular, elliptical, or of any other desired shape.

Said perforations terminate short of the upper end of said element in an imperforate portion I9, which is provided with a downwardly directed outlet 26, from which a hollow channel member 2l bridges the distance between said element and an aligned opening 22 in the outer cylinder I, beyond and beneath which latter said channel member terminates in a deflecting portion 23, which directs fruit freed from the major portion of its juices towards a collecting receptacle 24.

Whereas the strainer element is xedly supported within said outer casing, within said element is rotatably mounted an Archimedian screw conveyor 25, having a shaft 26 that extends freely beyond the upper casing closure plate I5 and is provided with a pulley 21, connected by a belt (or sprocket) 28 to a pulley forming part of a suitable reducing gear unit 29, driven by a motor 30 which is carried by a platform 3l upon the upper portion'i32, of aframework that is partially supportedby diagonal brackets 33.

Preferably the axis of said strainer element and said screw are above the axis of said casing, so' as to provide a greater space between their; lower portions for the free passage of the juices.

Said framework comprises therear pairof'upwardly extending uprights 32', a forward pairof shorter uprghts 34, ground-engaging feet 35;,

lower horizontal spacing rods 36, and an upper spacing rod 3l that substantially parallels the strainer unit.

Withinsaidframework, said strainer unit isremovably supported :by means ofoppositelyv extendinglugs `38; normally resting in brackets 39carried. by-the-uprights 32.' andll. In addition, said uprights. upon' their opposite outer sides maybe providedwith additional brackets or stil-rups 40,- upon which said outer casing and said strainer element arersupportedafter being cleanedand left disassembled. for drying. Obviously, the shape, size andexact location of these minor portions of the. device, and the shape and detailed construction of. saidlframework are not essential to the functioning of the principles of the strainerper se and; its general operation.

When vin operation, fruit with its naturali juices, added sugar. andpossibly. other ingredients-are mixed within the mixing tank 5, whence they are permittedto flow into the lower end' of said oasing and' strainer elementi The screw conveyor 25 is rotated bythe motor 30, and as the relatively. solid portions of the fruit are gradually elevated towards the upper: end of said strainer and its casing, the liquid juices pass through the strainer apertures into the casing, whereupon they gravitate towards the lowermost portion thereof, inthe larger space between the lower portions of` the sides of saidl element' and said casing, and are withdrawn by the pump i2 and elevated towards and' into the juice-receiving tank I4, thefruit" itself falling from the strainer into the receptacle 24.

summarizing the principal purposes for which this machine is designed, but without limiting its use to the exact performance set forth as illustrative, the. fruit or berries (referred to in thek claims broadly as fruit) may be fresh, or. may have been preserved and held instorage combined withsugar in the preferred proportion of approximately three-to-one or four-to-one partsof the fruit to that ofsugar. In either case, sufficient sugar is added-to bring, the proportion up. toapproximately two-to-one, in whichcondition. the fruit is separated from the major. part of the,I

juicethe juice addedto the ice cream. mix. for flavorandnatural coloring, the-said mix frozen as theterm-is understood inthe trade, that is, to

a semi-solid, consistency, following which the relatively whole pieces of. fruit (or substantially whole berries) are injected intoand dispersed throughout the semi-solid mass, which latter4 is then placed in the hardening roomv (at about 20? F.) for indenite. storage, shipment and.

general preservation,-

Having thus described my invention, what I 4 claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A strainer, comprising a tubular casing having an inclined axis, a perforated tubular element within and of less dia-meter than said casing and its axis being parallel with but spaced from and above the axis of said casing, a discharge duct leading radially from within said element, throughv the intervening` space; and*v from said casing, means to lead solidsand liquids'into the lower end portion of said element, a screw within said element operative to elevate the solids therein while the liquids ow from said element through its perforations and gravitate longitudinally; through saidcasing towards a liquid discharge'outlet therein, and means to rotate said screw.

2. A strainer, comprising a tubular casing having aninclined axis, a perforated tubular element within and of less diameter than said casing and its axis. being parallel with.V but"` spacedi from and above the axis of. said casing,` a' dischang-,eA ducty leading radially' fromv within; said element,- throughthe intervening space'and; fromsaid cas-- z ing, means to. lead solids and, liquids.y into. the:

lower end portion of said element, a screw con:- veyor.` within'. said; element* operative to' elevate the solids therein while. the liquids ilowffromV said.

element through its perforations and gravitate longitudinally' through` said; casingv towards. a liquid: discharge outlet therein and'v means to rotate said screw conveyop; said. elementi being: eocentrically positioned withirespect torsaidcasing; so'. that a larger.' spaoef. extendszbetween the f. lowerk portions of saidi element: and.l said casing,-`

than between their upper portions-L 3.' A. strainer, comprising a framepa tubular casingifsupported' thereby in aan: inclined; position,

alperforated tubularelement within: and of: sub-- 'fstantially less diameterI than said! casing, their axes being. eccentric:K but; parallel and? saidicasingv andv element` being closer;- together'at' their upper' sides; means. tosleadfcombined solids; and liquids into the lower.I endtofr said element,.al. discharge duct' leading@ radially.' from: the upper' portion of saidrelement, through the intervening space and' liquids passthrough the perforationsof said' element into said casingand gravitate towards said discharge opening.

4. A strainer, comprising a tubular casing having an open end, a perforated cylindrical tubular element Within andv spaced from said casing, a

closure` plate for the end of' said. casing, and

means carried by the inner surfaceY of said .plate to position. said element eccentrically with respect to saidcasing, with a greater space beneath than above said element, movable meansfto propel solids through. said. strainer., an axial inlet at' one end topermit entrance of.' solids and'liq.-

uidsinto saidl element, a solids discharge outlet extending radially from within. said. element, through the intervening, space. and.Y through. a side of... casing, and a liquid outlet from said casing.

5; A. strainer, comprising, a tubular casing, ay

closure plate for one end. thereof-L provided with' inwardlyextending studs. having adjacent surfaces that converge: asethey approach.v the: inner: surfacel ofrsaid plate, said* studsf being? circumferentially spaced in a circular pattern, the center of said pattern being eccentric of said plate, a stationary strainer element positioned and supported at one end by and between said studs closer to the upper than to the lower side of said casing, an axial inlet at one end to admit combined solids and liquids into said element, a solids discharge outlet extending radially from within said element through the intervening space and through a side of said casing, and a liquid outlet from said casing.

6. A strainer, comprising a tubular casing, a closure plate for one end thereof provided with inwardly extending studs having angularly related surfaces, said studs being circumferentially spaced in a circular pattern and as a group being eccentrically positioned with respect to said plate and said casing, a stationary strainer element positioned and supported by said studs closer to the upper than to the lower side of said casing, movable means to propel solids through said strainer element, an axial inlet at one end to 6 admit combined solids and liquids into said element, a solids discharge outlet extending radially from within said element through the intervening space and through a side of said casing, and a liquid outlet from said casing.

JOSEPH B. ORRELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

